When I lived in Arizona, I used to dream of rain. I would wake up, the patter of raindrops still in my head, and be disappointed to see the sun shining. Really.
But now I live in the Pacific Northwest where it rains a lot. A lot. And I love it. I’m a happy plu•vio•phile — (n) a lover of rain; someone who finds joy and peace of mind during rainy days. I learned that lovely word after reading “A Pluviophile Guide to Lan Su Chinese Garden,” which lists eight reasons to visit the garden in the rain, reasons like watching koi swim through the raindrops, or seeing the subtle changes in color and texture of rocks when wet.
In that spirit, here’s my pluviophile guide to fall:
· Listen to the rain on the eaves.
· Curl up with a good book. Somehow rain outside makes it nicer inside.
· Bake something.
· Take a walk. Listen to the rain as it hits your umbrella. It must be an umbrella. Raincoats with hoods do not produce the same effect.
· Save worms!
· Wonder at those huge mushrooms that sprang up overnight.
· Breathe deep. Rain makes everything smell better.
· Walk through a puddle with waterproof boots. There’s a reason you liked to do that as a child.
· Make a game of drying off the dog. I sing a little song, “I’ve got the towel right here; I’m going to dry you, dear…”
· Warm up inside with a cup of tea or mug of apple cider. Then grab a piece of whatever you baked and go back to that book.
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